PC threatening PC. What to do?

[the Jester]

I usually let PCvPC situations play themselves out unless I get the impression it's really a player v player personality clash. Then I step in and tell the players to knock it off. Sometimes, however, it's not easy to tell if it's getting personal.

One way to find out may be coming up for you. When it comes time to split the party (or as it approaches), tell your players it's fine to dissolve the adventuring party and have the PCs go their separate ways, but you won't DM two separate groups. You don't have the time. One of the two groups must make up new PCs and reform an adventuring group with the old PCs. If there's a lot of balking at that and still no willingness to reform, then it may be less a PC personality issue and more a player issue. If it's totally a PC issue, then I think players would be willing to say "Yes, this PC doesn't fit the party very well. I'll make up one that does."

What do you recommend if each player insists the other group should be the one to make new pcs?

Bear in mind (from the sounds of it) that two other players are involved and one of them is almost certainly going to get stuck making a new pc as well if you do things this way.

 

[Richards]

If nothing else works, you may have to have the two players line up at the next sessions and receive their DM-administered spankings. That'll learn 'em!

Johnathan

 

[Bedrockgames]

I think those asking whether it is a player v player conflict oor a character v character conflict are on to something. As long as this is between the characters and the players are having fun with the conflict i say let it play out. If this is more of an issue between players or if the conflict is ruining their enjoyment of the game, you may want to talk it out before or after next session.

 

[sheadunne]

Option One

Players have one minute to resolve their issues with the goal of the party remaining together and the game continuing as is, or both players make new characters.

Option Two

If emotions are high the other two players negotiate for the original two players. Same as above.

Option three

Don't play with jerks

 

[Bagpuss]

What do you recommend if each player insists the other group should be the one to make new pcs?

Then both or even all of them make new PCs.

 

[SnowleopardVK]

In answer to a few of the questions that came up:

The cleric and Paladin are NOT of the same god. The paladin is obviously LG, and the cleric was CN, possibly CE now, although neither the alignment change or do-anything-to-win tactics are things that would upset her god. This little fight wouldn't cost the cleric any powers unfortunately.

Somebody suggested making the highest CHA character the leader. That would actually be one of the other two, the Sorcerer, funnily enough. Now I don't think the paladin would care, as her top priority is completing her holy mission (also because she and the sorcerer get along well), but I could see the cleric trying to repeat her actions.

Now; when the attack was declared I didn't roll initiative right away because the paladin wasn't aware that she was being attacked. Essentially it was a surprise round for the Cleric, and the "combat" got resolved in that surprise round.

And yes the Players seem to be getting along well enough, it's just the PCs fighting. I still doubt they'll work together enough to go back and reform the group, but at this point I don't see bad blood. If I forced either side to redo their characters while letting the other side keep theirs then there likely would be some dispute. If I kill off both sides... Well then I may as well start a new story while they roll up new characters.

The responses so far seem to be varied. I didn't count up exactly how many said what on each side, but it seems about a third or so of you are saying to let them kill each other. Another third or so seem to be saying to take the players aside, say out of character "no fighting" and then force the group to stay together. Most of the rest of you are advocating for killing some or all of the party and rolling up new characters.

Hm... Decisions decisions.

 

[WarlockLord]

I'm going to throw in "let em kill each other." Better for the story, etc, IMO, and sometimes PvP is necessary - how the hell else is my token sane character supposed to stop the stupid evil idiot from butchering everything in sight?

 

[billd91]

What do you recommend if each player insists the other group should be the one to make new pcs?

Bear in mind (from the sounds of it) that two other players are involved and one of them is almost certainly going to get stuck making a new pc as well if you do things this way.

If they are too stubborn to come to an agreement on their own, they all make up new PCs and we start over.

 

[JRRNeiklot]

Have the captain of the ship throw them both in the brig. There is no fighting aboard my ship. Let them cool their heels a couple days, if that doesn't change their attitudes, have them thrown overboard.

 

[BlackMoria]

I make it clear at character creation that players must make characters that have a reason to adventure / work together. It is my one 'ignore to your peril' rule that I have.

Once the campaign starts, characters can disagree and argue but once a line gets crossed and party unity is in serious jeopardy, I stop the game then and there and call it a night (which allows time for the players to reflect on what happened).

I then have a meeting with the players before the next session. I ask them where they are going with dispute (it might have legitimate grounds) and how they see it getting resolved. If the answers are not to my liking (such as it is a pi$$ing contest), then they have the following options.

One characters is written out. Create a new character that gets along with the party.

Both characters get written out. Create new characters that get along with the party.

The campaign stops and a new one starts with new characters.

Regardless of the choices, guilty player(s) get one strike. On third strike, player is asked to leave the group.

This has resolved the issue the majority of the time. The longer the players have invested in the campaign, the more likely they are to set egos aside rather than having create new characters or have the campaign flushed down the tubes.